The cost of grocery items has climbed 2.4% overall in the last year, but the jump in retail meat prices has been much more dramatic. Compared to April 2020, pork prices are up 11%, bacon prices are up 16.3%, and beef prices are up 4.8%. Poultry prices are 11% higher than last year, and that includes the prices for wings, which hit a record $2.92 per pound—180% higher than they were in early 2020. If your food budget is feeling pinched, it may be time to start exploring ways to adjust your diet to include less meat, or, barring that, how to spend less on the meat you do buy. It’s that, or dip into your discretionary budget to cover the increased costs.
